Re: GNOME now

[Seif Lotfy <seif lotfy com>]

Good points Brian :)
I like the last part "this advanced UNIX-hacker type does not seem to
be the primary user GNOME is focusing on anymore."
May I ask you however to try to reply to each question with one
sentence if possible so I can create a small overview able chart
later?
Cheers
Seif

On Thu, Nov 15, 2012 at 1:26 AM, Brian Cameron <brian cameron oracle com> wrote:
>
> I think one of the most significant challenges for any free desktop
> that is trying to reach the "average user" is how to deal with the fact
> that most people like using computers, tablets, smartphones, etc. to
> interact with non-free multimedia.  Not just viewing movies and
> listening to music, but also creating content in increasingly
> collaborative ways.  Tools that use non-free technologies like Skype or
> Vonage are not just popular, but a requirement for many people who pay
> for such services.  How many average people would purchase a device
> that did not support such tools?
>
> Proprietary companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft coordinate
> sophisticated agreements with media companies and often go along with
> nasty DRM agreements required by those who own the rights to popular
> media.  Even some popular artists, like The Beatles, are very
> controlling about who can access the media they control.  If you avoid
> DRM, you probably have to avoid such popular artists - including pretty
> much anything released on a DVD.
>
> In certain markets, not being able to access non-free media may not
> be a problem.  The device the FedEx employee uses to collect signatures
> or a Point-of-Sale system might be good examples of devices that
> do not need much media support.  Such markets might be an ideal focus
> for a free desktop environment that, perhaps naturally, lacks
> strong DRM support.
>
> But, if the "average user" is the target, how does GNOME plan to
> provide access to non-free multimedia that the average user tends to
> access and create?  Is the community working to make GNOME attractive
> to some big company that can negotiate the expensive licenses needed to
> provide access?  Or is GNOME focusing on users who do not have an
> interest in using, accessing or creating non-free media?  Is GNOME
> just waiting until relevant patents expire and these issue hopefully
> just go away?
>
> I always thought that GNOME more appealed to hacker types because
> hackers tend to be more agreeable to figuring out how to work in a
> DRM-free environment.  For example, a hacker would likely be more
> willing to rip their audio in OGG format.  But this advanced
> UNIX-hacker type does not seem to be the primary user GNOME is focusing
> on anymore.
>
> Brian
>
>
>
> On 11/14/12 11:08 PM, Sriram Ramkrishna wrote:
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 8:10 AM, Seif Lotfy <seif lotfy com
>> <mailto:seif lotfy com>> wrote:
>>
>>     Quoting Stormy Peters comment on a recent blog post concerning GNOME:
>>     " We haven’t shared our vision or our roadmap for the future. Where’s
>>     the product going? What problem are we trying to solve? How are we
>>     going to do that?"
>>
>>     Good question.
>>     As a member of the board of directors I can't really answer this
>>     question at the moment either, without having to organize my thoughts.
>>     So many different point of views and ideas in the community that are
>>     not well discussed. The first thing that pops up in my head is GNOME
>>     OS. But then I am kinda lost. Maybe this is something we need to
>>     discuss here on the mailing list.
>>     Lets try to answer those 3 questions. What about one sentence per
>>     question for a start?
>>     I am avoiding a blog post since I am not sure its the best way to
>>     reach most of our contributors.
>>
>>
>> For me, it's our byline right?  A distraction free desktop.  Our designs
>> are all based on being able to write a desktop that allows us to get our
>> work done, multi-task with whatever interruptions that we have in our
>> daily life.
>>
>> Where are we going?  Are you talking about development or user land?
>>
>> What do other people think?
>>
>> sri
>>
>>     Cheers
>>     Seif
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>>
>>
>>
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